The highly transmissible and deadlier delta variant made things complicated for cruise operators and passengers alike. Royal Caribbean even recoded wider-than-expected loss due to the variant. The high number of delta variant cases made travelers hesitate to go on cruises. Given the current situation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidance on Friday for cruises. According to the CDC, travelers in COVID high-risk groups should avoid sailing at least for now. Unfortunately, this includes even those who are vaccinated.
High-Risk Groups Should Avoid Cruises
The new advice comes after cruise ships had outbreaks despite the present health protocols. There was also a senior passenger who died due to COVID complications. Older adults and individuals with medical conditions are considered part of high-risk groups. High-risk groups are more likely to develop severe COVID that could even result in death.
CDC announced in its update guidance that “The virus that causes COVID19 spreads easily between people in close quarters aboard ships and the chance of getting COVID19 on cruise ships is high”.
In addition to this, the agency suggested additional tests. The first test is 1 to 3 days before going to the cruise and another one 3 to 5 days after returning. This goes for all travelers regardless of their vaccination status.
Extra Precautions
Cruise operators did their best to make their passengers and crew members feel safe. Different cruise operators even added their own health protocols to further mitigate risks. Some cruise operators require their passengers to complete their COVID vaccination doses. On the other hand, cruise operators that accept unvaccinated passengers offer “bubble” tours that minimize interactions.
Of course, the cruise operators didn’t have to do these things to sail again in the US. The CDC only requires ships to have at least 95% of their crew and passengers vaccinated. For cruise operators that can’t meet the vaccination threshold, the agency requires a simulated voyage that would test COVID health protocols.